Alfred
by Withered Fleur
Summary: "Your son…" Arthur recognized the tone. It was serious, dim, and ominous. He could feel his eyes well up already. The Oracle bit her lip and took one last look at their son until she looked to the both of them. She inhaled sharply. "He will kill his mother and marry his father. He will bring chaos to this kingdom." USUK/Omegaverse.
1. Chapter 1

Soft cries and whimpers resonated off the walls of the throne room. Arthur held his newborn son close to his chest and glanced at his wife. Her fingers tapped lightly against the arms of her throne, signaling her impatience and annoyance. He had lost count of how long they've been waiting now. He supposed the only thing that was keeping his wife, Amelia, from not complaining was their child's gurgles. For a newborn, Arthur was surprised that their newborn son was making a lot of sounds at such an early age.

Amelia glanced over and smiled lightly at her family. He could tell she was irritated, not from their child of course, but this accursed Oracle who dared to be late. Arthur hated the silence that sat in the throne room and he knew he couldn't stand the constant babbles from their son for lord who knows how long the Oracle will take.

He inhaled quietly and asked, "Have you been thinking of any names for our son, my love?"

Amelia seemed relieved to have something to do while they wait. She placed her hand against her cheek and thought. "I've been thinking of naming him Allen or perhaps Alfred," she said, still unsure.

"After your grandfather and father?" Arthur remembered learning about the Spades Royal Family back when he was a small child. Her grandfather, King Alfred, had saved the kingdom from a war that would prove Spade's utter demise if it weren't for his strategies and heroic deeds. King Alfred married and had a son, Allen, Amelia's father. Allen was a brave man and improved the kingdom, saving many from poverty and vastly improved foreign relations.

She smiled softly and nodded, "Yes. Do you like it? I can't think of much but I think our son should have a name that belonged to a hero in our kingdom's past."

"I agree. I suppose after we meet with the Oracle we'll have more ideas." Amelia laughed at his response.

"Yes," Amelia went back to her exasperated pose, her eyes glancing at the throne room doors every few seconds "If they ever get here."

Their son writhed in his arms, but he did not fuss. He was simply asleep and moved about. Arthur was relieved but at the same time annoyed. He hated silence and with the entire throne room silent, it did not help him at all. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

"Do you think he'll be an alpha or an omega? Perhaps a beta?"

Amelia pondered once more. Spade's had never produced a beta with the exception being Amelia's brother, Matthew. Almost all of them were alphas and a few in history with omegas.

"I feel he may be an alpha. He comes from a long line of them," Amelia replied confidently, "but if he were to be an omega, we'll be sure to marry him off to the right family. But if he were a beta…"

Arthur's heart sank. He knew Amelia and Matthew's time when they were about to find out what they were. Matthew was a year older than her so for an entire year, Amelia had to suffer if she was a beta too, she wasn't deemed desirable. The entire Royal Family was relieved to find out Amelia was an alpha and Matthew was left to his devices.

Arthur remembered facing different treatment. All of his brothers were alphas so his family was sure he was one too. Being the youngest he had to wait many years to find out until they found out he was an omega. He hated the treatment he received from his family and peers. But it proved well in the end since the Crown Princess of Spades was an alpha. Coming from a wealthy family, Arthur's parents arranged a marriage and pact.

"-we'll be sure to find someone great for him. We would just have to try again for a child."

Arthur was barely listening but understood the gist of what his wife was saying. He nodded in affirmation and his grip on their son tightened in a protective way.

"Are you afraid, Arthur?"

Arthur almost jumped from her tone of voice. She sounded serious and it frightened him just a bit. "Excuse me?"

"Of what the Oracle will say?"

He thought for a moment. It was true that no one ever escaped the Oracle's predictions of their fate. He never been through an Oracle meeting, only royals did so to see a glimpse of their child's future. Really he was afraid, but it was more him being nervous than scared. "A bit, I suppose. I'm confident, he'll turn to be a great man either way."

Amelia bit her lip. "To be honest, I'm a bit scared."

"Why's that?"

"My father always told me there's a first for everything," Arthur's heart sped up. She was definitely true with that, no wonder she felt so apprehensive. She continued, "Such as my brother born a beta. What about our son? Will he be as great as my past relatives or better or worse?"

He looked down on his son who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He couldn't imagine him doing something horrible to the world. In fact, Arthur could only see his son doing great things with such an innocent face. He replied confidently, "Don't hold expectations so high. He'll be wonderful either way. You love him don't you?"

"Of course I do," Amelia answered, slightly offended from the question.

"Then there's nothing to worry about." He knew Amelia was just worried, but she often took things to heart too quickly. He knew their son was going to prove himself great and he knew deep inside Amelia thought that too.

Just then, the guards announced the Oracle's presence and requested entrance. Arthur desperately wanted to shout in exclamation on how long they waited. But of course, the guards only listened to Amelia when she was present.

"Let them in."

The guards obeyed and opened the doors at an agonizing rate. His heart sped up once more and he tried to smother the rising bubble of anxiety rising up. What would their son be like? What would his fate be? Even though the Oracle couldn't answer, would he be an Alpha, Omega, or Beta?

The Oracle graced the throne room floors at a moderate pace. Her head was held high and her hands folded neatly against her chest. Once she was a few feet away from the rulers, she kneeled down.

"I apologize profusely for my deferment, your highness. If I may, I can still tell your son's destiny."

Amelia stood from her throne and eyed Arthur. Arthur nodded and stood as well, still holding their son in his arms.

"Please rise, Oracle," Amelia said firmly, "But please don't be late again. We expect your upmost punctuality."

The Oracle rose and nodded, "I understand and I will."

Amelia eyed Arthur once more. He took this as a cue to move closer to the Oracle. He didn't know exactly what he was doing. He wondered if he was doing everything correctly so far. But with Amelia's glances, he thought she shouldn't have to signal him to do things.

' _Relax, this is the first time. Next time you'll know what exactly to do,'_ He reassured himself.

Amelia moved along with him and addressed the Oracle, "This is our newborn son. We have not named him yet but want to name him once we know of his future. From there we'll draw inspiration."

The Oracle nodded and smiled, "I see. Wise choice. Will you allow me to hold him?"

"Yes," Amelia immediately replied. Arthur gulped and hesitantly handed their child to the Oracle. The boy whimpered from the sudden movement and unfamiliar hold, but the Oracle was gentle and scanned him. She gently placed two fingers against his forehead, lips, chest, and legs. From there, Arthur didn't pay attention to her movements because he was so nervous of his fate. He glanced at Amelia. She too was afraid, he could tell. She didn't show it, but deep inside he knew she was.

"I see…"

"What is it, Oracle?" She immediately responded.

Arthur felt his heart was going to leap out of his chest. He hoped that their son would do great things, or just be a normal human being at this point. He'll take either.

"Your son…" Arthur recognized the tone. It was serious, dim, and ominous. He could feel his eyes well up already. The Oracle bit her lip and took one last look at their son until she looked to the both of them. She inhaled sharply.

"He will kill his mother and marry his father. He will bring chaos to this kingdom."

Arthur was surprised he wasn't the first one to start crying. Rather it was Amelia.

* * *

A/N: I should be doing other things like updating and doing my homework. But nah I'm gonna write a fanfic inspired by Oedipus bc that's what we're reading at school! Hooray! Procrastination at its finest.

I've been toying with the idea of Omegaverse for a while. At first I was like 'what the fuck is this shit what the fuck this makes no sense' And I'm still like that but it's actually fucking interesting to read and peoples' take on it. I am disgusting and going to hell for this lol.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, the two parents cried. They knew their son's fate was true and no one in history has escaped their proclaimed fate. Through Amelia's cries, he heard her rapidly say unintelligible words but it made his heart leapt since she hadn't said anything longer than two words for several hours.

"What?"

Amelia sniffed and tried to regain her breath. "I wish my parents told me that I was going to be killed by my own son!" her voice was visibly shaking and she breathed after almost every few words.

He stiffened. His mind drew a blank except for one question, "You mean, parents never tell their children their destiny?"

Amelia nodded and wiped her eyes, not caring if her makeup smeared. "Not anyone except between us and the Oracle…"

"Why?"

"I don't know! They just don't!" Amelia nearly shouted and Arthur recoiled in response. He regretted asking her. She was clearly frustrated and miserable. As was he, but over the years he learned how to control his feelings. All omegas and betas did, their emotions were in check. As for alphas, they were taught to bottle their feelings but they have explosive episodes every once in a while, such as right now.

The two remained to themselves for what seemed like forever, but in reality it was several moments. During that time, Arthur embraced her, stroking her hair and letting her cry on his shoulder. After a while, she lifted her head and whispered, "What do we do now?"

Arthur frowned. He truly didn't know. He wanted to raise their son and somehow escape his fate. He kept reassuring himself that they would be smart and teach their son right versus wrong. Hell, he believed for a short moment that they could be the first to change destiny. Amelia said there was a first for everything, maybe they would be the first.

But he knew he was afraid. He didn't want to risk it either.

"Arthur?"

Amelia was begging for an answer. He had to be honest.

"I don't know."

He could feel her stiffen in his hold. She escaped from his arms and gripped his shoulders. He couldn't read her features. He could only feel his fear rise and rise until it made his heart hurt.

"Arthur…I-there may be one solution," She started, "but gods I admit I'm afraid to reveal."

His heart was hurting from pounding but he remained silent to hear her out, beckoning her to continue.

She swallowed hard and said, "I've read stories of people like us. Where if they didn't approve of their child's fate they sent them to somewhere deep within nature and left them there-"

"To die?" Arthur's noticed that his voice came out more forced than intended. But as the idea settled more within his mind, he became livid. There was no way he could give up their, no, _his_ child.

Amelia's expression changed drastically. It looked as if she had never been so serious in her life, "It's the only way, Arthur. Our son will destroy this kingdom, didn't you hear the Oracle?"

"You said you loved him. You said there was a first for everything-"

"That doesn't mean it's true when I say it! It's merely a coincidence! And of course I love him but I'm doing what's best!" Amelia was shouting, almost screaming. Arthur flinched, he had never seen her so livid, so upset.

He let his emotions get the best of him, "I can't let you do that! He's our son! Yours!"

"Do you want him to bring Spades to ruin? Do you-"

"Want you to die? No, bloody hell no. I don't want to marry my own child even. But we need to raise him, it's only right." He said firmly. Traces of anger were heard in his voice. He never knew Amelia, his own wife, his alpha, would think of such an idea. An alpha wanting to get rid of their child? Unheard of!

"Arthur, listen," He hated her when she sounded so serious. It meant to him that she was right every time and he would always be swayed. He utterly despised it, he despised being a pushover. He had been his entire life. He was going to stay on his ground, it was his child and he was going to escape his so told fate. But he listened anyway. Omegas had to listen to their alphas and of course he hated that saying too. "You have to realize that if we raise him, he'll grow attached to us and it will be even harder to separate from him. This is the only way to escape his fate."

Arthur paled. Amelia spoke of the truth. Raising a child then separating from them was harder. His head started to hurt, she was testing his morals and he wished for a moment that he didn't have to deal with this. "So it's death that stops it," he finally said.

"Sadly, yes."

"I…" Arthur wanted to defend his decision, but he couldn't anymore. He knew she was right and he felt like shattered glass. "I want to see him one last time…but I don't want to be the one to bring him into the wretched woods."

Amelia slowly nodded and softly whispered, "It's for the best."

* * *

 _Eighteen years later_

"Alfred, dear, where have you been all day?"

Alfred flashed a smile at his mother, a small, quiet woman. He could see wrinkles forming on her features but her eyes were still a soft, comforting green color and her short hair bright as the sun. She appeared young as a queen, especially for her age. The maids would jest that Alfred stressed her out so often, she had wrinkles forming already.

"Out in the gardens," Alfred lied. Well, truthfully, he was in the gardens. But he had only been there for a several moments. He had been out in the village beforehand, with a disguise of course, and doing his own antics. He bought some food to eat and played with the village children. He learned over the years that children were more drawn to omegas than alphas and betas. It was the motherly like instinct the omegas provided while children watched alphas in awe. But Alfred insisted that the children treated him like any other human being. He just wanted to have fun and be a kid before he ascended the throne.

However, he had picked a beautiful lily just moments ago to give to his mother.

"Really now?" Her eyebrows arched in suspicion, but her smile was warm and sweet. Alfred wanted to admit the truth since this look of hers was manipulative. She knew he was lying.

Alfred thrusted the lily in front of her, "I got you this flower just as beautiful as you."

Her smile turned wider and her face glowed with happiness, "Oh Alfred, you shouldn't have!" He loved his mother's smile and whenever she was content in general. He would hear from other people that she was the literal embodiment of happiness and had a heart of gold. He was told almost every week he was blessed to have a mother like her.

He looked next to her, the throne empty.

"Where's dad?"

Elise glanced at the throne beside her and then to her son, "Probably preparing for tomorrow night's ball."

Alfred had nearly forgotten about tomorrow night. His heart fluttered but pained him inside simultaneously. His parents had been badgering him to get a mate for years now. He knew that not only was the ball to commemorate the Royal Family's birthdays, since the three of them were born in the middle of July, but also served as a way for Alfred to find a mate.

"Finding the love of your life on your birthday was a dream of mine when I was your age. Especially now that you are to be king someday, it truly is an honor. I hope you realize that."

"I do," Alfred automatically replied. He knew his parents were looking out for him and they needed an heir to the throne. Both of his parents were growing stressed and would most likely resign as soon as Alfred had found a promising mate and had his first child. At least, that's what he assumed. It seemed probable when he thought of it.

He dazed at Elise once more and smiled, "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Happy birthday."

Elise beamed, her face glowing. Softly, she said, "Happy birthday to you, too, my son."

* * *

"My son, you are of age! And an alpha at that too! Never has the Kingdom of Diamonds had such a privilege!"

Alfred couldn't help but feel slightly mortified by his father's exclamation. Elise clung close to his father, Francis, her warm smile lifting Alfred's spirits by a bit. However, he knew his father was just flattering him, Francis was an alpha and a king which is exactly what Alfred knew he would become.

"Alfred, dear?"

"Mom?"

"Don't just stand there. You are the prince and an alpha. Omegas aren't going to flock to you, you have to initiate."

Alfred visibly gulped. His father had given him advice for years but it was incredibly far-fetched to Alfred's standards. He couldn't just walk up to some omega and expect them to be his mate right then and there. He was most definitely not a classic romantic like his father. Sometimes he wondered what he even got from the two.

"Your mother is right, Alfred. For gods' sake, it's your birthday as well. Treat yourself! The kingdom wants you to be happy."

He couldn't deny his father's words. Alfred loved big celebrations, especially with him as the spotlight. But he also couldn't negate that the mandatory request to find a mate was overwhelming him beyond belief. Sure, he had talked to other omegas before, betas too. Ones at the court would blush deeply whenever he would appear. Alfred clearly noticed but pretended not too. Ones in the village would be with the village children and keep a watchful eye on him.

In other words, how was Alfred going to choose a mate in a few hours? This made no sense to him. His father always proclaimed that love takes time after telling the most detailed story on how he and Elise had met and married. The story was pleasant but, of course, Francis would be his classic self and told of lewd situations. Alfred would always be flustered and Francis would laugh stridently.

Alfred strode along the edges of the ballroom and head towards the corridors for a moment. He needed to get away from the crowd for just a few moments to regain himself and pep-talk himself.

 _Thud!_

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry to have ran into you! I-"

"Watch it, kid- Oh hey it's the bastard son of the king and queen!"

Alfred stiffened. _Bastard son?_ He stared at the man before him. He was old and most likely smashed. His words were slurred and boisterously loud. He swore the entire ballroom could hear him through the soft music playing in the background.

He was furious. Of course he was the biological son of Francis and Elise! No doubt!

"Excuse me? Me? A bastard of my parents, Francis and Elise?"

"Damn right! Mark my words, boy! They're feeding you with lies! Lies-"

"Guards!" Alfred shouted. The guards nearby responded immediately and took the drunken man away. He supposed he had too much to drink and wanted to spread false information. Now he needed to be alone because of that encounter.

He swung the doors open and entered the quiet corridor. Muffled music could be heard from outside the doors. He sighed heavily, running his hand through his blond locks. The drunken man's words bothered him now. Surely he was the first and only biological son of Francis and Elise. He may not look like it, but deep inside he knew. He had their scent, their unconditional love, and he had his father's eyes-

"Get yourself together, Al. He was drunk and just wanted to start a fight," he reassured himself. He glanced up at the painting before him, a portrait of Francis's late father, King Louis. He examined the man's looks. Alfred could draw similarities, but only a few. The man had a firm stature, dark hair, but the same bright blue eyes.

He kept going back and forth on whether or not he was the true son of the King and Queen. But after a while, he decided he dithered for far too long and assumed guests were noticing his absence. He shook his head and returned to the ballroom.

 _"Everything will be alright,"_ he thought.

* * *

"You haven't met anyone?"

Alfred shook his head.

"Not even a beta?"

Still, he shook his head in disappointment. He wasn't disappointed that he couldn't find one, but mainly because his own father was.

Gods, he couldn't even win the heart of a beta.

"Alfred, my son, you are the heart throb of many throughout our kingdom. How come you didn't find anyone? You would have surely won anyone's heart within seconds of approaching one of them!"

He knew he had to be honest. The incident from the night before racked his brain the entire night and still did. "Father, an incident happened last night."

Francis blinked, befuddled. "What?"

"A drunken man told me I was a bastard of you and mother."

Francis sputtered and Elise looked noticeably shocked. "A drunken man, of course! Alfred you are our son. No doubt about it."

Elise nodded and added, "Besides, drunks spew nonsense. It's unwise to take their words to heart."

Alfred felt ashamed but relieved at the same time. He couldn't believe he took the man's words to heart but his parents had defended him. Yet, deep within him, he couldn't help but feel skeptical.

"Alfred."

His eyes darted towards his mother, "Yes?"

"I know you're going to go out and about on your usual antics. But please know we're not disappointed."

Alfred smiled widely at his mother and then to his father. They were too affectionate and he always felt immensely lucky to have them.

"I know."

* * *

That afternoon, Alfred headed towards the church. He threw his dark blue cloak, a gift from his father, over him to draw away attention from the village. The sun was bright and hot, promising a merry day for his father's date of birth. He knew he shouldn't be doing this on such an event, but he needed answers.

He went up the flights of stairs leading up the holy edifice. He would hear from many the gods have blessed the churches and if anyone had ruined them it was deemed a sin and punishable by death. Alfred had never seen such a crime and hoped that he wouldn't ever have to.

He believed that everyone worshipped the gods to an extent. He knew those who were highly religious and those who weren't as much but still paid their respects. For himself, he was the latter. He attended services and sacrifices often because he had too to show his authority of his people and approval of the gods above. He despised seeing sacrifices the most, it irked him immensely. However, there was no way out.

As he approached the enormous, stained-glass doors, he stiffened. He read novels years back when royals would ask the town oracle for their child's fate. Often the children's fate was kept a secret and they would never know. A shiver shot down his spine, making him visibly shake for a short moment. Many of the stories had children that were given up and left to wither away in nature to escape their fate.

Alfred hoped that he had a promising one. He was the Crown Prince of Diamonds! His parents were loving and powerful. There was no way that he would have a sinful fate. He didn't know if his parents had asked the oracle for their son's fate. If they did, he hoped that it was a good future. He just thought he needed to take this upon his own hands. Since he was of age, he believed he could be told upfront by the oracle.

With a sudden draw of breath and bravery, he pushed the doors open confidently and strode down the aisle. A woman turned to the prince and stared at him curiously. The woman bore dark, ominous blue eyes but a gentle smile. Her white robes that adorned her body proved she was the town oracle.

Alfred had brought the hood of his cloak down to reveal his features. The oracle's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Young prince, what brings you here today?"

Alfred's mind drew a blank. He didn't think of where to start. He decided to wing it and hope that the oracle will understand. "Oracle, last night a drunken man had come up to me and said that I was not the true son of my parents, King Francis and Queen Elise."

The Oracle stared at him, beckoning him to continue explaining. Alfred swallowed hard. Why did it have to be so hard and nerve-wracking to explain such an issue? Alfred wondered if she was expecting some sort of sacrifice or round of prayers.

He cleared his throat, "I am worried about my fate because I will take over the throne someday. I know my parents have most likely come to you to see but I wish to know."

The oracle slowly nodded in understanding and came closer to the prince. "Young prince, since you are of age I will grant your request. However…"

"What?"

"Once you know, there is no chance of escaping your fate except by death. Are you sure you want to know?"

Alfred started having second thoughts. She made it sound like all fates were sinful and filled with terror. He inhaled sharply and nodded in affirmation. "I am sure. It's my duty to know how I will provide for my kingdom."

"Very well, young prince," she said, "please close your eyes and stand still. Clear your thoughts. From there I can hear the gods' truths."

Alfred obeyed. While clearing his thoughts proved difficult for him, he instead focused on the oracle's touches and soft chants to summon the gods' planned destiny for the young prince. He felt himself getting impatient and his heart thudding against his chest. He was incredibly anxious. He never felt anything like it. He nearly felt as if he were going to die despite how much of an exaggeration of that was on his part.

"Young prince, do you still wish to hear your destiny? The gods have spoken."

Alfred opened his eyes and swallowed hard for the umpteenth time, "Yes, please."

"Prince Alfred Bonnefoy. Your fate is that you will kill your mother and marry your father. You will bring chaos to your kingdom."

Alfred froze. _Did he hear that right?_ The air around them was tense. He was shaking and felt his legs were going to give out. His heart pounded loudly and his head throbbed. He needed to kill these anxieties. The gods were playing with him, surely! In almost every play he saw the gods teased the citizens. Surely he had to be one of them. This was all a cruel joke-

"Young prince?"

"I…that can't be true," He whispered in disbelief. He hoped that this was a nightmare.

"It's what the gods promise. It is the truth."

He glared at the oracle and exclaimed, "I love both my parents! Just like any child would love theirs! I wouldn't dare commit matricide and sleep with my own father!" His words resonated against the walls. Loud, obtrusive noises were not welcome in such a holy place. But he didn't care. This destiny of his was insulting and most certainly not true. His mother was a sweet, innocent omega woman. He had no reason to end her life. His father was a boisterous, romantic alpha man. A marriage between two alphas was problematic and deemed a sin. He had no feelings for his father except of ones between father and son.

The oracle kept her peace. However, her eyebrows furrowed, signaling her irritation. "Young prince, it does not help you in the slightest if you complain. You speak with words, not understanding."

"That makes no sense! You lie to me, oracle!" He cried.

"You are saying the gods lie then. You cannot deny their proclamations. That is a sin," the oracle replied solemnly. Alfred was livid, he balled his fists in attempt to control himself. The oracle continued, nearly menacingly, "You are to commit a great sin and there is no escape except death."

"Are you telling me to end my own life? That is a grave offense especially against royalty, oracle."

"I have the gods behind my back. I only speak words of truth, young prince. It is your choice on whether or not you shall commit to their words," the oracle explained, appearing as if she had won the argument. Alfred absolutely despised her current expression. She appeared solemn but he traced confidence and authority within her. He threw his hood over his head and stormed out, aghast by his fate and the oracle's apparent smugness. He gave no last words to the oracle.

On his way back to the palace, he thought of his fate. It took him nearly all day and a celebratory birthday dinner for his father to think of a solution. That night, he struck an idea and took a paper and quill to write a short letter.

 _Dearest Mother and Father,_

 _It has come to my decision to travel across the lands the gods have given us. I have visited the church earlier to find myself and my destiny. I want to prove myself worthy of you, our people, and the gods. I plan to travel to find a mate and come back with to start a family and rule with for the rest of my life. I hope you understand and I will most certainly come back._

 _I will make you both proud._

 _With much love,_

 _Alfred Bonnefoy_

He hoped that his parents didn't know of his accursed fate.

* * *

 **A/N:** Alfred's birthday is actually July 4th, of course (but he doesn't know that lol), but Elise and Francis took the date of when Alfred was brought to them, July 13th. Elise's birthday is July 12th and Francis's is July 14th. So the kingdom hosts a birthday week which holds all types of events and celebrations. Convenient how Liech and France's birthdays are so close together!

Thank you for the support!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** They're only mentioned once but just to clarify:

Romulus: Roman Empire

Eshe: Ancient Egypt

Helena: Ancient Greece

Folkert: Germania

* * *

Elise had been pacing around the palace for days now, Francis had observed. It was as if she had been expecting their son to arbitrarily show up and surprise the both of them. Knowing Alfred, Francis knew if the boy was out, he would come back the same day. Alfred was serious by now.

His wife gazed out the window, overlooking the rolling pastures that their farmers tended to so meticulously. The only time the fields were not vibrant with color was during the harsh winters that covered everything in white for months on end. Elise's habits grew more noticeable in the span of a few days: smiles appeared forced, she twiddled her thumbs whenever nothing eye-catching was happening, she would walk around the palace and gardens, but most of all she looked expectant at everything around her as if Alfred was going to come back so soon.

It was obvious that Elise couldn't rest when she didn't know if Alfred was okay.

"Elise, my dear, please stop looking so worried. It pains me to see you this way so often."

She looked back at him, sulking in her chair. "I can't. I just wish he told us where he was going or promise to write back…"

Hearing her voice in this tone made Francis's heart heavy. Her voice always sounded bright, cheerful, and full of love. Now it sounded like she was about to weep. Francis brought his chair closer to her and brought her closer to his chest, embracing her. Elise placed her small, dainty hands on his shoulders, her fingertips holding tightly against him.

"Alfred is smart. We taught him well. He'll be okay."

Elise raised her head by a few inches, her hands clutching his shoulders tightly. "But aren't you worried?"

"Of course I am! But he's grown up. He knows how to protect himself and others. I have no doubt he will bring a wonderful omega home to love and cherish," Francis explained. He had faith in him. Despite knowing how reckless Alfred could be, he knew he would make the right choices in the end.

She loosened her grip, letting her head rest on his chest once more. She nuzzled into him, sighing. "I guess I can't help but worry. I just hope he isn't too reckless, you know how he is."

Francis chuckled. "He'll be home in no time at all, my dear."

There was a pause. For a moment, he wondered if she was sated. Maybe his words rang truth into her ears. He just wanted her to feel relieved and not worry too much. Yet suddenly, Elise whispered, "Francis?"

"Hm?"

He could feel she was apprehensive to speak. But she gently raised her voice and said, "When Alfred told us about that drunken man…it got me thinking…"

"That if other people know?"

"Yes…" She started, "I know he isn't our true son but…I know no one likes an infertile queen and I'm long past my peak."

Francis's heart quickened. She hadn't spoke of her own tragedy in years. In attempt to soothe her, he let his fingers gently brush out the tufts of her short, blonde hair. But she felt stiff in his arms. Elise continued, her voice beginning to quiver, "When Alfred was brought to us, I was overjoyed. It didn't matter that he was from another family, I promised to myself that I would love and protect him for as long as he should live."

"Elise…" Francis whispered.

"But I know he doesn't look anything like us or our ancestors. I just…I'm sorry I couldn't give even a single child, Francis. So many omegas could give you a healthy, bountiful litter and I can't-"

"Elise, stop saying absolute nonsense! I chose you because I loved you and I still do, even more every day!" Francis exclaimed, "It doesn't matter that we couldn't have children together. I love you for you, not if you can give me children."

Elise's breathing hastened. He could hear her trying to hide her tears and sniffling, "Francis…"

Francis held her closer and rested his head atop of hers. "It doesn't matter if Alfred isn't our true son, we love him for who he is," He gently said, then kissing the top of her head, "My love, stop being so worried. Too much is unhealthy."

"I suppose…thank you…But," Elise said, drawing herself closer to her husband's embrace, "We need to tell Alfred soon enough."

"We did plan to tell him after he was of age…"

Elise drew herself back from the loving embrace. Francis admitted to himself that he should've stopped talking because he felt empty without her warm embrace. Elise firmly said, "We lied to him, Francis."

Francis sighed, "I know, but he looked so distraught I just couldn't tell the poor boy."

"When he gets back, we'll tell him…I just hope whoever he brings home, they'll understand." He hoped so too. He did the same with Elise when they were both younger and in their prime. She had admitted when they were courting that she believed she couldn't provide children. Francis found that in the end it didn't matter, he truly was deeply in love with her. He hoped that Alfred and his lover would be understanding of each other no matter which obstacle came to hit them.

Francis smiled, "Just know if they don't understand…they don't truly love him."

"Right you are, dear," Elise replied, smiling gently, "Isn't that what you did with me? That I couldn't provide you children?"

Francis felt his heart flutter and rid of worry. He adored her smile. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her sweetly. "Of course, my love, of course."

* * *

Alfred had decided he would go to Spades first. Spades and Diamonds had strong relations for centuries. He wondered if having a mate from Spades would be satisfactory for his kingdom and enough to fool the gods. He would never commit matricide and marry his own father. He would definitely prove the gods wrong. Their words will not belittle him.

He kept a sword at his side for hunting. His tutors back then had taught him basic survival if he were ever in a situation. While a sword was reckless for hunting, it proved to be a good enough object for killing and skinning. He grew up learning how to handle the blade since he was a young boy. He wouldn't call himself an expert at using it, but he was well above average handling it.

He heard from avid travelers on his way that Spades was a week's walk from the capitol of Diamonds. He had never walked a week's worth, he didn't know if he could. But he promised himself that he would.

A few days have passed. He wondered how his parents were faring. Were they upset? Were they worried? Were they proud? He just hoped that they were well. He didn't want to hurt them and their kingdom.

In the meantime, he survived on rabbits and birds. He was used to eating a week's worth of food in a day since the palace provided so much for his insatiable diet. He realized that maybe traveling wasn't cut out for him. He grew fatigued and restless. There was high hopes in him that an inn would be on the road to help poor, weary travelers. But he kept reassuring himself to keep going despite his hopes of an actual bed and food.

He looked up to the sun. The summers were hot and unforgivable. It was proving a number on Alfred. He loved the heat, but not with this cloak and current situation. Up ahead, he heard a wagon and the galloping of horses. Shouts and orders were given and soon they were within full earshot.

Alfred kept to the right to let them pass. However, orders were given to stop and he did too, confused.

"Stop! You there!"

Alfred pointed to himself in confusion. Did they mean him? He felt his heart quicken in fear.

"Hood down, sir."

They really did mean him. Alfred swallowed hard. He used the both of his hands to bring down his hood, revealing his features. He then said, laced in befuddlement, "I bring no harm…sirs?"

They stared darkly at him. Alfred could feel himself shaking. He just hoped they would spare him if they planned to hurt him. Instead, they said firmly, "Sir, you are on Spades's Territory and you are not showing credentials but have a sword at your side. We have reason to believe you are a threat."

' _Do they even know who I am?'_ Alfred thought. He rose his hands against his chest and announced, "I'm just a lowly traveler. I only have a sword to hunt for food."

"Do you have credentials, sir?"

Alfred sputtered. Credentials? He was the Crown Prince of Diamonds! "No, but if you must know I am the son of King Francis and Queen Elise."

The guards of the wagon suddenly went into a fit of laughter. Alfred became livid. Did they know anything about the Royal Family of Diamonds?

"Very funny, sir. You must know it's common knowledge the queen is infertile," One of the guards said, "That's besides the point, we cannot let you pass without credentials."

Alfred shook his head, "I don't have any other than my title."

The guards drilled their eyes into him, menacingly. For a short moment, he wondered who was in it. He could only see bright, blue eyes drill into him too. "Then please go back to where you came from, we cannot let you pass."

Alfred sighed and pivoted. He will take a different route then; one without guards that were threatening him. He heard guns click right behind him. He froze for a moment but turned too soon, his hand instinctively grabbing the hilt of his sword in defense, "I'm going back!"

Alfred all too quickly realized what kind of threat he just posed. He muttered profanity under his breath but still drew out his sword protectively. He was already livid enough to be deemed a threat for just travelling, but now they were onto him.

"Stop him!"

His sense of control diminished from that point. Red became an all too familiar color to him as he pillaged and slayed the guards that threatened his life. He couldn't hear their orders to each other anymore as he only heard slicing and screams of those falling to their knees.

"Take the queen back-"

That was the last one. He didn't notice one running away deep into the forest. He had assumed the sound of rustling was animals attracted to the scent of blood. He was slowly coming back to his senses. He realized he had just murdered a band. But his body was filled with adrenaline and he was still livid, he still couldn't think coherently.

"Hold!" The voice almost echoed in his mind. His ears were ringing. A woman stepped out of the wagon, grabbing her sword and pointing it at him when she was fully out. Alfred recognized the same blue eyes from earlier. He glared at her.

"Just who are you?" Alfred snarled, pointing his sword at her in a protective stance.

She refused to give up her stance. "That doesn't matter. I don't want a serial killer pretending he's the Prince of Diamonds to know my name. I will put an end to you."

Alfred sniffed the air. Despite the wretched stench of blood surrounding them, her scent was strong. "You're an alpha."

"Obviously. So are you," She scoffed, "No wonder. You bottle your emotions so tightly that you go in a murderous rage when it's released."

This woman was enraging him. He had already gone through enough. "Shut up."

The woman shook her head, "My, my. I thought you were a calm alpha when we first saw you. We were protecting you, you see."

"Protecting me?" Alfred asked in disbelief.

"Yes, there's an awful plague in our kingdom. My husband is sick and I've come to find the cure which I've been told rests near 'your' kingdom. We didn't want to spread it to others. It's my duty, you see," She explained. She glanced around her, seeing her fallen men, "But now you've tainted the roads with your presence and my men's blood is the fault, too. _This is all your doing_."

Alfred sworn her eyes became darker with rage at the last sentence. He knew exactly what she was planning. Alfred quietly yet darkly said, "You can't kill me."

She smiled wickedly, "I can, and I will. I am much more powerful than you anyway, both in wealth and experience."

It was obvious the woman was older and more experienced in fighting. But Alfred was always taught that the younger and quicker win.

"Try me."

She changed her stance to that of battle, "Those better be your last words, boy."

Everything went too fast to Alfred. He could barely form a coherent thought. The woman nearly hit him enough to kill him at many points. He ducked whenever he could, only receiving small cuts from her sword along his arms and cheeks, making him flinch momentarily. In one swift movement, he ducked beneath her arms and was suddenly behind her. Instantly, he plunged his sword through her chest, forcing her to the ground. She screamed for a short, agonizing moment, moaning in pain as she fell. He drew out his sword in a swift movement, leaving her twitching and gasping for air.

"I'm…sorry Ar…ur," The woman's words were not coherent to him. Her movement stopped altogether, proving she was dead. Briefly he wished he knew what exactly she said just so he can remember.

It wasn't until moments later he was brought to his old self. He had never seen so much blood in his life. He placed his blade to his side, shaking. No word or sound escaped from his lips. He ran.

* * *

Days had passed.

Alfred was still in disbelief. He always remembered his parents' words, after they found out he was an alpha, _'You don't realize how much power you have.'_

He finally believed it. He always did, but he never knew until he actually did kill many. He wondered if that's what they meant, that he had tremendous power to kill. Surely, they didn't mean it that way. He thought of his father, Francis. He conjectured if the man killed anyone. He never saw him mad or enraged. The only time he saw him close to mad was when he was scolding Alfred for doing something wrong such as staying out late or saying a bad word. All in all, he has never seen him outraged.

He finds that the nature surround the kingdom calms him, but his mind is reeling. The image of crimson blood and lifeless bodies consumes his mind. The smell of it all still lingers and he desperately wants to get rid of it.

He's well into Spades near the end of the week. He stays inn to inn, none recognizing that he's the Prince of Diamonds. He concludes, since the towns he was in were poor, that they genuinely didn't know but helped him in any way they could. Many paid too much respect and many look visibly sick. He remembered the alpha woman's words. Spades was sick with plague and Alfred was afraid he would end up getting sick too.

He covered his mouth and nose with his cloak, sure not to get any inkling of plague. He sees signs leading him towards the capitol and for a moment he wonders if he should be entering. As he draws closer, he sees the capitol was hit the hardest. Many were outrageously ill. Coughs and sneezes became normal sounds to his ears after a few moments of being in the streets.

He felt like a sore thumb in the midst of it all. So much that everywhere he went, people stared. He could tell that they knew he was healthy, formidable, and he quickly thought that they were onto him.

He nearly yelps when a middle-aged man grabs him by the sleeve of his shirt. His eyes go into the man's. His skin was a pale green, eyes red with irritation, and evidently weak-boned. The man wheezes and Alfred flinches, grateful that part of his cloak was covering his senses.

"Foreigner, please help us. We are at the mercy of the gods. Our alpha queen perished and our omega king is about to die as well!" His voice was a loud whisper and wheezes in the end. Alfred blinked unsure of how to feel. He certainly felt pity, but what was he supposed to do? How can he help?

He noticed more people drew closer and Alfred covered himself tightly in his cloak. He could only make out a few exclamations thrown rhetorically at him.

"They have no children to take over the throne! Spades will go into ruin with plague and anarchy!"

"We're all going to die!"

"Help us!"

Alfred inhales sharply and announces, "I will help. It's my duty to help others in need." He holds up his hands to try and signal the masses to back away from him. They don't but they cheer in response. They draw up closer to him, mesmerized by the man. Alfred felt claustrophobic.

"Thank you! Foreigner, what is your name?" One asks.

Alfred reveals his nose and mouth only briefly to announce, "I'm Alfred Bonnefoy, son of King Francis and Queen Elise of Diamonds."

The crowd gasps and suddenly they're on their knees. His stomach falls to the floor in shock. Before he could say anything, another exclaims, "Your grace, forgive us for not addressing you properly!"

"There's nothing to forgive," Alfred quickly says, waving his hands dismissively. He scans the crowd. He feels his face turn warm, he never received this much appreciation that he can't help but feel embarrassed. He looks amongst the crowd, trying to appear confident. "For now, it's my duty to save you all from the plague."

He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he was determined.

' _Heroes are always determined. They'll do anything to save one or more people without putting themselves first, Alfred.'_

' _Am I a hero, mom?'_

' _You're my hero, Alfred.'_

He remembers this memory when he looks in the hopeful eyes of the masses. While it was his mother and her unconditional love that had her talking, he knew he can prove himself. He felt a sense of belonging and duty to these people.

Eventually they all stood, talking amongst to each other. One walked up to him and said, "The gods have gave alphas a riddle, but they never came back."

Alfred raised his eyebrows in interest, "Why only alphas?"

"They're after the omega king's hand, Arthur. After Queen Amelia died, every alpha has been trying to solve the riddle but we assume they perished. The gods are ruthless to us and we don't know why," the villager explains. Alfred briefly wonders how the Queen perished but the other villagers' words entered his mind.

"I've heard it was because they did not produce any healthy children."

"I wonder if the king was infertile…"

"Yes, that's why the gods are treating us horribly now, especially after Queen Amelia left us."

"I wonder why she didn't go to the shrine to beg for mercy…"

"She was way too powerful to throw her feet to the gods. She was never like that."

Who was this Queen Amelia and why didn't she do anything to help Arthur? Alfred is baffled at this. In all of his life so far, he was always told to care for his omega and risk his own life if they were ever in danger. It sounded as if Amelia didn't do anything to aid Arthur in his agony.

"Prince Alfred, the gods are hopefully on your side since you came here. Will you help us?" Alfred is brought back to his senses when the same villager from before speaks. Alfred scans the crowd again. The offer was enticing. Not only would he save thousands from the plague but he would take the king's hand if he solved the riddle. His parents would be pleased to find that he saved a kingdom and found a powerful omega.

' _I can then escape my fate…'_

His mind was reeling after that thought. He can prove the oracle wrong. If he solved the riddle, he will surely have a wonderful life as Alpha King of Spades and provide for his Omega King. He would finally prove the gods wrong that he can escape his fate. Alfred nodded and smiled brightly.

"Yes! Where can I stop this awful plague?"

"Thank the gods!" one exclaims and soon everyone is cheering once more. Alfred relishes in this moment of glory. The villager then points down the road, "Down the road, there is a shrine that we pay our respects to. From there you will be at the mercy of the gods."

Alfred nods in understanding. He realized that he will be risking his life for these people, but inside he knew that he could it. He can save these people. A thought shoots from his mind. Maybe he could be forgiven for his sin of killing many. He swallowed hard but still remained hopeful.

"Good luck, young prince. You are our only hope."

Alfred looks into the eyes of the villager once more and smiles, "I will do everything in my power."

* * *

He eventually finds the shrine. Once he enters, he feels he's invaded the home of the gods. He tries not to stare at the engravings and tributes for too long. The engravings were in a different language, an ancient one.

The pathway to the main area is so quiet that he hears his own heart beating and blood rushing in his ears. His footing grows strange and he realizes that he might faint. He slaps himself and gains his strength back. He had a duty and he was going to accomplish it. There was no way he was going to back down.

He is prevented from continuing when he encounters a large pair of golden doors. He stares at the engraving presenting the four main gods: Romulus, Eshe, Helena, and Folkert. For a moment, Alfred is confused. He hesitates when he's moving his hands to push the doors open, but the doors open themselves, slowly. He nearly jumps in fear but once they're wide enough, he enters the room.

The room is spacious, showing the same four gods engraved onto the walls, their eyes staring at Alfred in the center of the room. He knows the engravings aren't the real form on the gods, but in this room it really felt as if they were. He hears voices and the presence of them and soon the voices are clear.

"What is in seasons, seconds, centuries and minutes but not in decades, years or days?"

Alfred freezes, he was really doing this. The gods were actually speaking to him and he could die at this very moment if he didn't answer correctly. His mind is swimming. He remembers being taught riddles and puzzles when he was younger from various tutors. He heard this one before.

He clears his throat and answers, "The letter n."

There's no sound to confirm that he was right. Instead, they move onto the next riddle and Alfred is frightened. How many riddles were there? He guessed four since there were four main gods but he can only assume at this point.

A different, booming voice presents the next one. Alfred wonders for a quick second if the four main gods are speaking to him.

"What runs on the floor without any legs?"

Alfred remembers this one but is unsure of his answer. He curses in his mind and says his answer without any more thought, "Water!...Water."

"What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?"

He sighs of relief from both solving the previous riddle correctly and this famous one. He remembers this one clearly.

"Human. A baby crawls, man walks on two feet, and the old have a cane. Morning represents the first years of life, noon represents mid-life, and evening represents the last few years of their life," Alfred answers correctly, remembering the explanation his tutor gave him all those years ago. He thought that this was too easy, what kind of alphas were coming in here anyway? He feels well-educated and witty. He thinks of the villagers and his home, he would make them proud and grateful.

"Last riddle, young prince. No one has answered this riddle, correctly," the words are loud booms to his ears. The words are threatening and Alfred feels more frightened than ever before. One moment he was confident and now he was preparing for death.

"Looking at a portrait a man says "Brothers and sisters I have none but that man's father is my father's son." Whose picture is it?"

He never heard this one. Not even once, not an inkling of it. He wishes he studied more of the Book of Riddles he was given years ago. Perhaps this riddle was in it. But he only has one chance the thought of that sends Alfred frantically searching for an answer. The riddle confuses him greatly. It was too complex, too many similar terms. He tries to solve it like a puzzle, piece by piece. He hesitates with his answer but exclaims, "His…son's! It's his son's portrait!"

The walls click and the doors behind him open once more. He almost falls to the ground from his sudden lightheadedness.

' _Did I do it?'_

He scans the room. The air is deadly quiet. He feels someone might come from behind and kill him right then and there. He begins to leave the room and exit the shrine, ever so slowly. He tries to be aware of his surroundings. The corridor seems lighter than before, Alfred observes. He begins to see the light and walks quickly. He sees the bright blue sky and shining sun as he exits. Suddenly, he feels nervous, did he truly solve it? Or was this heaven and he didn't experience his quick and painless death?

"Prince Alfred! He's alive!"

The words are music to his ears. He feels butterflies fly within his chest. He really did help these people! The villagers still appeared rather ill but looked healthier than ever before. Their voices weren't hoarse, they weren't wheezing, they were truly healing.

"He got rid of the plague! He saved us all!"

Loud cheers resonated around the site. Citizens were throwing flowers and showering him with praise. His heart fluttered, he felt giddy with delight. He never seen so many people genuinely joyful and praising him for his heroicness. He couldn't wait to tell his parents of his honorable act. He had proven the gods wrong, and went through hell and back.

"The Omega King! He's arrived!"

Suddenly, the masses knelt down and created a narrow pathway for the Omega King. Alfred was surprised to see everyone go from cheering to kneeling down in what looked like a performed, organized action. He wondered if he was supposed to do so as well, but no one objected. He stood tall and straight, wondering who exactly this Omega King was.

He looked straight ahead and suddenly those potent, bright green eyes drilled into his own. He knew for a fact that those eyes belonged to the Omega King for no one he had ever seen had such a powerful, dignified stare. Alfred felt his knees go weak.

He was going to take this man's hand.

* * *

 **A/N:** Holy shit this was long. I should be updating Where Home Is but I'm like a quarter done with the chapter and it's lonnggg. (Hint: it's a filler chapter so that's why it's long lol) Work and school have been demanding so updates have been pretty slow too.

By the way, this story will be about 9-10 chapters. So we're already about a third through? Holy moly.

Thank you for all the support and feedback! It means a lot!


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